Dakshin Kannada is the only constituency in Karnataka with marine, air, rail, and road transport connectivity. The erstwhile Mangaluru constituency was converted to Dakshina Kannada in 2009. The constituency has been a stronghold for the Congress from 1951 to 1989 however in the past three decades BJP is dominating the region. For this year”s parliamentary elections, the BJP has Brijesh Chowta as its candidates and the Congress candidate is Padmaraj R Poojary.
Padmaraj is said to be politically groomed under the veteran Congress leader Janardhan Poojary. Padmaraj secured a BA from Sacred Heart College Madanthyar and has a Law degree.
Criticizing the BJP over dividing people in the name of the religion Dakshina Kannada Congress candidate R Padmaraj Poojary said to work on the development of the district if he is elected in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Padmaraj is a new face who has made a name for his social work. He is well known in the constituency for working through his foundation during Covid time.
In the last Lok Sabha elections Nalin Kumar Kateel won 57.55% votes while Congress candidate Mithun M. Rai secured 37.14% votes. It is presented that the Ram Rath Yatra held by the then BJP national president L.K Advani in the coastal belt in 1990 and Murli Manohar Joshi’s Ekta Yatra in 1991-92 helped the BJP consolidate its ground.
The Dakshin Kannada comprises 8 assembly segments including Mangaluru, Mangaluru City South, Mangaluru City North, Moodbidri Mulky, Bantwal, Belthangady, Puttar, and Sulia. The constituency will see its Franchise on April 26 during the second phase.
This year 17,96,826 people will vote and decide the fate of the newly launched key candidates in Dakshin Kannada.